Texas groups help jailed military vets in Montgomery County reintegrate

By Jose R. Gonzalez, Staff writer

Updated
10:22 am CDT, Monday, March 25, 2019

Inmates in the Montgomery County Jail's Pod 7 Veterans Program listen as Rick Pritchard, founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, speaks, Thursday, March 20, 2019, in Conroe. Pritchard is the founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, which aims to help integrate incarcerated veterans into society.

Inmates in the Montgomery County Jail's Pod 7 Veterans Program listen as Rick Pritchard, founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, speaks, Thursday, March 20, 2019, in Conroe. Pritchard is the founder of

Inmates in the Montgomery County Jail's Pod 7 Veterans Program listen as Rick Pritchard, founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, speaks, Thursday, March 20, 2019, in Conroe. Pritchard is the founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, which aims to help integrate incarcerated veterans into society.

Inmates in the Montgomery County Jail's Pod 7 Veterans Program listen as Rick Pritchard, founder of the Armatus Reintegration Program, speaks, Thursday, March 20, 2019, in Conroe. Pritchard is the founder of

Texas groups help jailed military vets in Montgomery County reintegrate

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On what was the first day of spring, former Navy man Darren Clark recited a pledge to an American flag in a setting he called home only seven months ago: the Montgomery County Jail.

“There is no way I’ll go back to that life. I’ve got a good job,” Clark said in an interview.

Clark’s quiet voice stretched across the room Wednesday as he spoke to about 20 incarcerated military veteransabout how he transitioned from repeat offender and inmate to independence as a well-paid metal tradesman. The 48-year-old who was previously convicted of multiple nonviolent offenses, mostly for drug possession, found the way forward through three resources available to the jailed military vets.

Dressed in their pressed fatigue green-colored jail uniforms, the inmates in attendance are part of the Veterans Embracing Tools for Success (VETS) military vet assistance program started in May 2017 by Sgt. Kimberly Anderson and Lt. Felicia Webb of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

“These men and women served their country,” Anderson said. “They came back, they ran into some issues and it’s our duty to assist them in these issues and get them back on the right track.”

The veteran’s pod currently consists of 20 inmates — 18 men and two women visiting under close observation of detention officers. To keep the counseling effective, the pod does not exceed 30 inmates, Anderson said. Acceptance into the program is on a case-by-case basis taking into account the current charges the veteran is facing and prior convictions.

Clad in a red T-shirt and blue jeans, Clark praisedRestore Texas Ministries, where he was placed after release through another Huntsville-based nonprofit, the Armatus Reintegration Program. It is run by 58-year-old Rick Pritchard, a former Marine sniper from Iowa who after ministering to Texas prisoners said he realized there was nothing catering to the needs of incarcerated veterans.

VETS’ mandatory counseling takes place three days a week. A Veteran Affairs representative visits weekly to discuss assistance and benefits the inmates may be eligible to receive. Every new military vet is assigned a fellow incarcerated veteran as a mentor.

Lt. Webb said between five to 10 inmates have been released, learned a trade, found a home and have returned to act in a mentorship role, just as Clark was doing.

“These guys who have gotten out, this program is very important to them,” Lt. Webb said. “They mentor to these other guys, telling them that ‘You can do it’— reinforcing it for them.”

Anderson explained since jail is a secure, controlled environment, and because many do not have proper housing, family and friends to help them, outside resources like Armatus Reintegration are crucial.

Some “don’t get it right the first time, and that’s OK. The goal is to get them on a secure exit plan so that they get comfortable in their environment to be able to move forward,” Anderson said. “That’s why having all these community organizations is so imperative because they help them navigate after the fact, as well. Armatus plays a big role in that.”

Armatus Reintegration volunteers currently serve 400 military vet inmates weekly in 11 penitentiaries, including the William P. Hobby Unit, a woman’s facility. Montgomery County is the only jail the program currently serves. Armatus Reintegration meetings are held Wednesdays there. Each holding unit is assigned two volunteer military vets.

“We serve the forgotten veteran and the forgotten veteran is the incarcerated veteran,” Pritchard said. “Everyone forgets about the people behind the wire.”

The program uses what Pritchard described as evidence-based curriculum addressing post-traumatic stress disorder, parenting, domestic violence, anger management and job training. In the next 30 to 45 days, Pritchard plans to introduce resources on cognitive behavior to what is featured at the Montgomery County Jail’s VETS program.

Pritchard said many military veterans convicted of criminal offenses are missing the structure the armed forces offered them.

“They lose that camaraderie, that purpose … they get themselves in trouble,” Pritchard said. “Our job is to help them get back into that positive thinking.”

After Clark was stationed on an aircraft carrier during the 1990 Gulf War, he started dabbling in drugs to manage the post-traumatic stress disorder he said he suffered.

“It was a coping mechanism at the time,” Clark said about his drug use. “I had self-medicated … like a prescription.”

Born in Ohio and raised in Nebraska, Clark first found himself in Montgomery County in 1994. Echoing Pritchard’s point, he said he longed for the camaraderiethat was fundamental to his time in the military.

This consisted of “depending on the guy next to you, knowing that he’ll be there for you and you’ll be there for him,” Clark said.

Trying to compensate, he joined a ragtag group of people whose routine was getting up in the morning, getting high and heading to work.

In his third stay at Montgomery County Jail, Clark struggled to find employment. Then he said Restore Texas offered him an opportunity to avoid further incarceration.

“Everything pointed to that. There was no way that I could go other than that way,” Clark said. “It was spooky, how clear it was.”

At Restore Texas, Clark joined about 11 other veterans recently released from incarceration.

“If you wanna quit, then you need to get with other people who want to quit. Then you get that, some loyalty and devotion, if you will.” Clark said.

There are currently two veterans recently released out of Montgomery County Jail who are enrolled through Restore Texas just as Clark had been.

Though it is faith-based, “we don’t force that on you,” executive director Kevin Webb said, “but we hope it rubs off on you.”

While there, Clark learned his current trade and obeyed the three Ds rule: no drinking, no drugs and no drama.

Restore Texas “has a heart for you guys,” Pritchard told the group gathered at the veterans pod.

As he spoke to the inmates, Clark advised them to avoid old acquaintances to not fall into the same life choices that led them to jail. As such, he left Montgomery County and now lives in a neighboring county.

Among those intently listening to Clark, was Army vet Shane Parnell. The 40-year-old who is being held for a DWI offense, has, like Clark, embraced the structure offered through VETS.

Parnell singled out the standard operating procedure followed in the veterans pod, modeled by the military’s own, which include how beds are made and an expectation of overall cleanliness. Similarly, inmates are on a merit system where three demerits lead to a discharge from the pod.

Just as with Clark, the camaraderie ties it all together for Parnell.

“We’re all a brotherhood and a sisterhood and we all gave a blank check to give our lives for our country,” Parnell said.

Toward the close of his speech, Clark recalled a scene he recently observed between two young brothers at play. The younger of the two was struggling with a glow stick not lighting up. The old brother had a solution that resonated with Clark’s journey.

“He told his brother, ‘You have to break it in order for it to work,’” Clark said, concluding, “I’m glowing now. You had to break me first.”